The U.S. Army manages more than 557 million square yards of pavement. Successful pavement management requires, first and foremost, knowledge of the pavement inventory, condition, and maintenance and repair (M&R) budgets. In the late 1970s, ERDC-CERL developed the PAVER™ system to help the Department of Defense (DOD) document and manage pavement assets. Dr. Mohamed Y. Shahin, who developed the original PAVER™ concept and product, has advanced the vision and capabilities of pavement management to a new state of the art with PAVER™ 5.3.7 – 7.0.

With the development of two new companion programs, Field Inspector and Image Inspector, Dr. Shahin has expanded PAVER™ capabilities for data collection, networking, web access, and modeling for M&R budget optimization. This has transformed PAVER™ into a full life-cycle system that encompasses pavement management, structural evaluation, and pavement design. The software for airfield inspections, roadways and parking lots was also developed by Dr. Shahin. PAVER is now mandated by the DOD for managing the M&R of its vast pavement inventory.

Dr. Shahin’s direct technology transfer efforts over the past five years include working with large government and non-government organizations to facilitate successful PAVER™ adoption, and technology presentations to the DOD annual Major Command meeting, Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), the Asphalt Institute, ASTM, Transportation Research Board, Air Force Academy, and others. His presentations have helped to greatly expand the adoption and implementation of PAVER™, as reflected in an OSD mandate to implement PAVER™ DOD-wide by 2012 and the adoption of PAVER™ as a standard technology by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Thanks to these technology innovations, an accurate pavement asset inventory is in place to support the DOD. M&R funds are being used more effectively; pavement conditions and life are being extended; the DOD, NATO, and other entities share a common communication tool; and new business opportunities have been opened to Army Engineer Districts. The expected savings are in the millions of dollars, with mission readiness greatly improved.